Conflicts of interest in the publication of science

Article Abstract:

Assertions of conflict of interest and financial bias have been leveled against the scientific community, which is funded by billions of dollars from the federal government. The US Public Health Service proposed guidelines requiring all investigators (and their spouses and dependent children) taking part in research funded by the National Institutes of Health to divulge all financial interests and outside professional activities. The recommended guidelines were abandoned after strong protest by the scientific community, and new ones are being developed. Apparent conflicts are promoted when the government encourages scientists to become involved in commercial ventures to speed up the process of finding practical applications for scientific advances. Several groups have formulated guidelines to deal with conflicts of interest. The Journal of the American Medical Association requires all the authors of an article to sign a financial disclosure form, but often authors neglect to do so. The New England Journal of Medicine reported on the consulting income and stock holdings of the investigators of a major clinical trial of clot-dissolving drugs. Reviewers are also in a difficult position, for example, when reviewing articles concerning drugs produced by a company for which they consult or those of a competitor. They may also be faced with articles contradicting their own research. Financial interests do not invalidate research results or reviewers opinions, but they must be disclosed to protect against abuse. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

United States. National Institutes of Health, Medical publishing, Federal aid to research, Government aid to research, Financial disclosure, editorial, American Federation for Clinical Research

---

Plungers and polemics: active compression-decompression CPR and federal policy

Article Abstract:

Federal regulations must permit ethical cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) research, which must assess meaningful patient outcomes. Studies that evaluated the use of active compression-decompression (ACD) CPR either revealed no benefits or reported improvements in short-term outcomes only. Research has not assessed the effect of ACD CPR on neurologic status at hospital discharge, which is the only meaningful outcome to patients. Efforts to evaluate ACD CPR were stymied when the US Food and Drug Administration halted two studies, in part because research subjects were unable to provide informed consent. Regulations that govern the provision of informed consent for resuscitation research have not changed since 1990. Informed consent waivers for research in emergency settings have not been applied to resuscitation research. Regulations are necessary to protect patients and to guide research efforts.

Editorial, Research, Human experimentation in medicine, Human medical experimentation, Informed consent (Medical law), Informed consent, CPR (First aid), Cardiopulmonary resuscitation

---

Policies on Faculty Conflicts of Interest at US Universities

Article Abstract:

Many universities do not have detailed policies about what types of partnerships are allowed between faculty researchers and industry. This was the conclusion of researchers who surveyed 89 universities that received the most funding from the National Institutes of Health in 1998.

Standards, College faculty, Medical research, Medical colleges, Medical school faculty

Similar abstracts:

• Abstracts: The effect of training on the provision of elective abortion: a survey of five residency programs. Safety of intra-amniotic digoxin administration before late second-trimester abortion by dilation and evacuation
• Abstracts: No more Mr Bad Guy, please: prejudices often get in the way of managers and nurses working effectively as a team
• Abstracts: Implementing best practice in pressure ulcer prevention. Preventing and managing pressure ulcers on heels. The sheepskin myth
• Abstracts: Clinical economics: a guide to the economic analysis of clinical practices. Transforming Insurance Coverage Into Quality Health Care: Voltage Drops From Potential to Delivered Quality
• Abstracts: Seen but not heard: nurses and students raised the alarm about abuse and poor practice in two scandal-hit trusts but managers ignored them

This website is not affiliated with document authors or copyright owners. This page is provided for informational purposes only. Unintentional errors are possible.